US weekly Upland cotton sales rise 16%, shipments decline

Net sales of Upland cotton in the United States for the 2024-25 season reached 141,200 running bales (RB) during the week ending May 15, 2025, marking a 16 per cent increase from the previous week and a 41 per cent jump from the prior four-week average, according to the USDA. Vietnam led buying with 61,800 RB, including switches from South Korea and Malaysia. Other key buyers included Turkiye (19,400 RB), Pakistan (18,700 RB), China (13,300 RB), and Indonesia (11,100 RB). Offsetting these gains were reductions for South Korea (4,000 RB), Malaysia (1,200 RB), and Thailand (400 RB). Additionally, 7,400 RB in forward sales were recorded for the 2025-26 season, mainly to Honduras and Vietnam.

Despite sales increase, actual export shipments of Upland and Pima cotton declined. Upland cotton shipments dropped 24 per cent from the previous week to 251,500 RB, with Vietnam, Pakistan, Turkiye, Mexico, and Bangladesh being the main destinations. Pima cotton sales totaled 9,700 RB, up 91 per cent week-on-week but 25 per cent below the four-week average. Top buyers included Peru, Colombia, Pakistan, India, and Vietnam. Pima shipments fell to 7,600 RB, down 21 per cent from the prior week, with Vietnam, India, and Ethiopia as leading importers.